Fiber-reinforced plastics currently being used in the fabrication of load-bearing structural components are light weight, durable and low cost. The fabrication of such components involves a complex stepwise procedure. The strength and durability of the composite is largely dependent upon the existence of an extensive, long lasting load-transferring interface between the reinforcing fibers and the plastic matrix. A need exists for high strength reinforced composites and a method for their manufacture which possess at least the following desirable prerequisites: (1) non-reliance on fiber reinforcement for the attainment of high strength properties, (2) circumvention of the complexities of current composite fabrication procedures, and (3) elimination of any possibility of fiber-plastic interface problems.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a polymer alloy of a rod-like aromatic heterocyclic polymer and a coil-like amorphous heterocyclic polymer for use in the fabrication of high strength composites.
Another object of the invention is to provide composite materials at the molecular level that are analogous to a chopped fiber composite.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for preparing composite films composed of rod-like aromatic heterocyclic polymers and analogous soft amorphous matrices.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying disclosure.